Ezra d



E. D. SARGENT.

Car Seat and Couch.

Patented Aug. 9. 1859.

Witnesses:

Inventor:

AM. PHDTO-LITHOEO. N.Y. (OSBDRNE'S PROCESS.)

. UNITE S ATES ATNT mac 1;

EZRA D. SARGENT, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

SEAT AND COUCH FOR RAILROAD-CARS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EZRA D. SARGENT, of the city of Indianapolis, county of Marion, and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Construction and Arrangement of Passenger-Cars for Railroads; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the sameto wit:

The nature of my invention consists in providing a simple and economical form and arrangement of seats and their backs which can be metamorphosed into night couches (from day seats) by a process as plain and simple as it is noveland not attained in any other similar device.

To enable others, skilled in the art, to make and use my invention, I will now proceed to describe the same-as to construction and operation.

Figure 1, is a longitudinal sectional view of a portion of a passenger car; Fig. 2, is the rear view of a back cushion belonging to one of my day seatsshowing also, the connecting bolt and the loop through which said bolt works; Fig. 3, is a longitudinal elevation of the partition between the seats,together with an edge view of the seat back's and the pillows K, K, between.

A, B, and C, are panels, or spaces, between the windows.

D, is the section of one half-or one side of a car, showing H the front of seat, with J the cushion placed under the same upon the brackets (Z, 6.

L, L, M, M, N, N, and O, are an edge view of the seat backs-(from the aisle).

P, P, P, P, are partitions between seats. E, E, F, F, H, H, the ends of seat cushions.

T, T, T, T, are berth or couch curtains, suspended on R, R, &c., the curtain rods.

Gas seen in the drawing hererepresents one of the spare cushions(which occupies the place indicated by J at the right hand end of Fig. 1, when not in use) but, as here represented it serves as a connecting link between the wall end of two seatsand so, constitutes a lounge or nurse couch, for the convenience of invalids or families.

Now, the points of novelty of my invention over other inventions of a similar kind, consist in, 1st. WVhile all others have two or more surplus cushions, (which are entirely worthless in the day time) mine has but one. 2nd. While all others are so constructed that the seat cushions have invariably to be moved in metamorphosing the day into night, or the night into day accommodationsmine on the contrary are changed and adjusted in an incredibly short space of timeand that too without the slightest disturbance of any of the permanent fixtures. 3d. Since I have but one surplus cushion and vary my general device but little from that of an ordinary passenger car having nothing redundant, and all the parts useful, no one can reasonably question the vast stride I have taken in the road of rigid economy when my invention is brought in contrast with others. 4th. In the arrangement of my cushions (when they are used for sleeping purposes) I avoid breaking joints under those parts of the sleepers body where the bearings arehence, I make an easy couchan item too much neglected in other similar inventions.

The mode of 0perationor, the manner of converting my day seats into night couches, is simpleand naturally suggested by the very device itself; viz: The bolt V being withdrawn the backs are taken down from the position shown in the panel space C, the hooks in the ends of the backs are placed in ledges, or protruding eyelets, in the partitions. The pillows K, K, are properly adjusted above and below. Then cushions J, &c. are placed between the seat cushions proper in the fr0ntand the cushions G, &c., are placed next the side, or wall of the car, and the curtains being arrangedall is now ready for use-as a night, or sleeping couch. To reduce them back to the day ar rangement, this process is reversed.

I disclaim any'originality in the conversion of day seats into night couches, as I am aware that various devices are in useof this nature ;but

WVhat I do claim, and desire to secure by the grant of Letters Patent, is

1. The side lounge G, or nurse couch, constructed and arranged as, and for the purpose set forth ;and

2. Its combination with the backs -a L, M,seats F, G, H, J,partitions P, brackets Z, and stops V,-all arranged, constructed, and operated substantially as set forth in the foregoing specification.

EZRA D. SARGENT.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. REDs'roNE, L. R. BROMWELL. 

